Slide 2

Counseling Undocumented

Students about Financial Aid

NT4CM 2016–17

Slide 3

Agenda

• Undocumented students definition

• Federal financial aid

• State financial aid and other state benefits

• Other sources of financial aid

• Counseling undocumented students

NT4CM 2016–17

Slide 4

What Does it Mean to be Undocumented?

• Individual lacks the documents required for

immigration or legal residence

• Individuals may have:

• Entered the country legally on a temporary

basis and stayed after documents expired

• Entered without documents

• Been brought to the country by someone

else

NT4CM 2016–17

Slide 5

Statistics about Undocumented Residents

• Approximately 75% are from Mexico and Latin

America

• The majority live in six states: California, Texas, New

York, Illinois, Florida and Arizona

• Other states have seen significant growth in

undocumented residents in the past 10-15 years

NT4CM 2016–17

Slide 6

Statistics about Undocumented Students

1.7 Million Under age 30

1 Million Under age 18

80,000 Reach age 18 annually

65,000 Graduate from high school annually

Nationally, 40 percent of undocumented young

people ages 18-24 do not complete high school,

compared with 8 percent of their U.S.-born peers

Source: Center for American Progress, December 2014

NT4CM 2016–17

Slide 7

Undocumented Parents

• Parents’ undocumented status usually does not

affect student’s eligibility to apply for certain types of

aid (i.e. FAFSA)

• Eligibility for financial aid typically depends on the

student’s citizenship status

NT4CM 2016–17

Slide 8

Federal Student Assistance

Student Eligibility

• To be eligible for federal student assistance,

students must be:

• U.S. Citizens or U.S. Nationals

• U.S. Permanent Residents

• Citizens of the Freely Associated States

(Micronesia, Palau, and the Marshall Islands)

• Eligible Non-Citizens (Specific eligible categories)

NT4CM 2016–17

Slide 9

Categories of Eligible Noncitizens

• Persons granted asylum

• Persons paroled into the U.S. for at least one year

• Refugees

• Victims of human trafficking

• Battered immigrants-qualified aliens and their

designated children

• Conditional entrants

• Cuban-Haitian entrants

NT4CM 2016–17

Slide 10

Eligible Noncitizens

• Are usually able to document their status with an I-

94 or Arrival Departure Record

• Can usually apply for Permanent Resident status

after specified time period, such as one year

NT4CM 2016–17

Slide 11

Ineligible Immigration Statuses

• Family unity status

• Temporary residents

• Non-immigrant visas for work, study, tourists, and

foreign government officials

NT4CM 2016–17

Slide 12

Student Options for Federal Aid

• If you work with undocumented students, you may

need to refer them to an attorney familiar with

immigration law and regulations about the feasibility

of student obtaining permanent status in the U.S.

NT4CM 2016–17

Slide 13

Recent Federal Action

• DREAM Act (as proposed) Aug 2001 - present

• Executive Action (DACA) Jun 2012

• Executive Action (DAPA) Nov 2014

Note: Executive actions do not change the federal

student assistance eligibility rules. Undocumented

students remain ineligible for federal student assistance

at this time.

NT4CM 2016–17

Slide 14

Recent State Action

• Allowing in-state tuition

• Providing state financial assistance

• Banning in-state tuition

• Prohibiting enrollment at any public college or university in the state

Note: State actions do not change the federal student

assistance eligibility rules. Undocumented students

remain ineligible for federal student assistance at this

time.

NT4CM 2016–17

Slide 15

3 States Prohibit In-State Tuition

for Undocumented Students

• Arizona

• Georgia

• Indiana

2 States Prohibit Undocumented Students from

Enrolling at any Public Postsecondary Institution

• Alabama

• South Carolina

Source: National Conference of State Legislatures, February 2015

http://www.ncsl.org/research/education/undocumented-student-tuition-overview

NT4CM 2016–17

Slide 16

18 States Currently Allow In-State Tuition for

Undocumented Students

• California

• Colorado

• Connecticut

• Florida

• Illinois

• Kansas

• Maryland

• Minnesota

• Nebraska

• New Jersey

• New Mexico

• New York

• Oklahoma

• Oregon

• Rhode Island

• Texas

• Utah

• Washington

Source: National Conference of State Legislatures, February 2015

http://www.ncsl.org/research/education/undocumented-student-tuition-overview

NT4CM 2016–17

Slide 17

Typical Eligibility Criteria for In-State Tuition

• Attend a high school for two to four years within the

state

• Complete a high school diploma or GED

• Enroll in a public postsecondary educational

institution

• File affidavit stating intent to legalize status and

become permanent resident

NT4CM 2016–17

Slide 18

Currently 5 States have Provisions Allowing

State Financial Aid for Undocumented Students

• California

• Minnesota

• New Mexico

• Texas

• Washington

Source: National Conference of State Legislatures, February 2015

http://www.ncsl.org/research/education/undocumented-student-tuition-overview

NT4CM 2016–17

Slide 19

Typical State Model

for Undocumented Student Eligibility

• Redefines residency for the purpose of tuition

charges

• Make exemptions for payment of out-of-state tuition

for certain categories of students

NT4CM 2016–17

Slide 20

Financial Aid from

Colleges and Universities

• Institutional scholarships, grants, loans, or work-

study programs

• Availability of institutional aid varies widely

• Scholarship funds come with a merit component

NT4CM 2016–17

Slide 21

Examples of Aid from Private Sources

• FastWeb

• Mexican American Legal Defense and Education

Fund

• Get Ready for College

• Latino College Dollars

• Scholarships for Hispanics

• Genesco Migrant Center

NT4CM 2016–17

Slide 22

Be Proactive with Private Aid

• Locating private aid sources is labor intensive and

time consuming

• Be proactive and identify local sources of aid

• Make information easily available

• Good for student assistants or local advocacy

organizations

NT4CM 2016–17

Slide 23

Counseling Undocumented Students

• Create a Safe Environment for Students:

• Non-threatening

• No requirement to report status

• Be supportive and encouraging

• Be Proactive:

• Be aware of what is available at the state and local levels to assist undocumented students

• Include the student’s family in counseling

NT4CM 2016–17

Slide 24

Questions/Discussion

NT4CM 2016–17

Slide 25

Provided by:

NT4CM 2016–17